Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI) in cooperation with the Center for Consumer Protection of Montenegro (CEZAP), the Montenegrin LGBTQ Association (Queer Montenegro) and the Network for Affirmation of European Integration Processes (MAEIP), from May 12th to May 15th 2016 organized training on strategic planning, PR and advocacy. The training was held at the Iberostar Hotel in Becici. The training is part of the project “Capacity Building of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Consumer Protection System in Montenegro “ZAŠTITI.ME “.

The training was led by lecturers with many years of experience in the field of strategic planning, PR and advocacy. On the first day of the training, representatives of civil society organizations had the opportunity to hear more about the role and significance of the NGO network through defining the mission, vision and goals. In the second part of the training, attention was devoted to the meaning of the PR concept and public relations, advocacy, media reporting, social networking and new technology as an indispensable tool for sharing information with the general public. The third and final part of the training related to strategic planning using swot and pest methods and techniques, defining a communication channel with target groups, harmonizing the Montenegrin consumer protection system with the system of EU, presenting and analyzing the national consumer protection program, and identifying problems in public relations with the aim of removing them.

Each part of the training was conceived so that a lot of attention was devoted to the active participation in the discussions of all representatives of civil society organizations, a member of the Network for the Protection of Consumer Rights in Montenegro. After the training, members of the Network have further strengthened their communication capacities with the wider public, which will help them in the future to introduce citizens with all the activities that will act in order to protect consumer rights in Montenegro.

The project “Improving capacities of CSOs and the system of consumer protection in Montenegro – PROTECT.ME ” is funded by the European Union through the IPA program.